Mechanical Cue Stick Device

ABSTRACT

A mechanical cue stick device for striking a cue ball without action of an arm includes a tube, a rod and an actuator. The tube has a first end that is closed and a second end that is open. The rod is slidably coupled to the tube and is selectively extensible from the second end of the tube. The actuator is coupled to and positioned within the tube proximate to the first end. The actuator is operationally coupled to the rod so that the actuator is positioned to forcibly extend the rod from the tube. A switch that is operationally coupled to the actuator is coupled to the tube so that the switch is positioned proximate to a digit of a hand that grasps the tube. The switch is configured to be switched to actuate the actuator to forcibly extend the rod from the tube to strike a cue ball.

(b)CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

Not Applicable

(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention.

The disclosure relates to cue stick devices and more particularly pertains to a new cue stick device for striking a cue ball without action of an arm.

(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

The prior art relates to cue stick devices.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tube, a rod and an actuator. The tube has a first end that is closed and a second end that is open. The rod is slidably coupled to the tube and is selectively extensible from the second end of the tube. The actuator is coupled to and positioned within the tube proximate to the first end. The actuator is operationally coupled to the rod so that the actuator is positioned to forcibly extend the rod from the tube. A switch that is operationally coupled to the actuator is coupled to the tube so that the switch is positioned proximate to a digit of a hand that grasps the tube. The switch is configured to be switched to actuate the actuator to forcibly extend the rod from the tube to strike a cue ball.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a mechanical cue stick device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new cue stick device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the mechanical cue stick device 10 generally comprises a tube 12, a rod 14, and an actuator 16. The tube 12 has a first end 18 that is closed and a second end 20 that is open. The first end 18 is circumferentially larger than the second end 20 so that the tube 12 is tapered. A bumper 48 that is coupled to the first end 18 of the tube 12 is configured to protect the tube 12 from impact damage. The bumper 48 comprises at least one of rubber and leather.

The rod 14 is slidably coupled to the tube 12 and is selectively extensible from the second end 20 of the tube 12. The rod 14 and the tube 12 comprises at least one of wood, metal, and plastic. The actuator 16 is coupled to and positioned within the tube 12 proximate to the first end 18. The actuator 16 is operationally coupled to the rod 14 so that the actuator 16 is positioned to forcibly extend the rod 14 from the tube 12.

The actuator 16 may comprise a spring 22, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, or other actuating means, such as, but not limited to, pistons, linear actuators, and the like. The spring 22 is coil type so that the spring 22 is tensioned as the rod 14 is inserted into the tube 12, positioning the spring 22 to rebound to forcibly extend the rod 14 from the tube 12.

A switch 24 that is operationally coupled to the actuator 16 is coupled to the tube 12 so that the switch 24 is positioned proximate to a digit of a hand that grasps the tube 12. The switch 24 is configured to be switched to actuate the actuator 16 to forcibly extend the rod 14 from the tube 12 to strike a cue ball. The device 10 is anticipated to be useful in a number of circumstances, such as in training a novice user in a cue sport, as an aid to allow a user suffering from arm injury to participate in a cue sport, and in playing a cue sports on a table that is positioned in a confined room.

The switch 24 comprises a trigger 26 that is pivotally coupled to the tube 12. The trigger 26 is spring loaded so that the trigger 26 is biased to a default position wherein a terminal section 28 of the trigger 26 extends into the tube 12 through a hole 30 that is positioned in the tube 12.

A set of cutouts 32 extends into the rod 14 proximate to a first terminus 34 of the rod 14 so that each cutout 32 is selectively alignable with the hole 30, as shown in FIG. 5. The cutout 32 and the hole 30 are positioned to insert the terminal section 28 of the trigger 26 so that the rod 14 is selectively fixedly positionable within the tube 12 with the spring 22 having an associated tension. The trigger 26 is configured to be triggered by the digit of the hand that is grasping the tube 12 to extract the terminal section 28 from the cutout 32 so that the rod 14 is forcibly extended from the tube 12. The set of cutouts 32 comprises from one to ten cutouts 32. The set of cutouts 32 may comprise three cutouts 32, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

A flare 36 is coupled to and extends radially from the first terminus 34 of the rod 14, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the flare 36 is slidable along an inner surface 38 of the tube 12. A lip 40 that is coupled to the second end 20 of the tube 12 extends inwardly, as shown in FIG. 6, so that the rod 14 is slidable across the lip 40. The flare 36 and the lip 40 prevent contact of the rod 14 with the inner surface 38 of the tube 12, thus allowing for a smooth and forcible extension of the rod 14 from the tube 12.

A ferrule 42 that is coupled to a second terminus 44 of the rod 14 is configured to bear an impact from the rod 14 contacting the cue ball. A tip 46 that is coupled to the ferrule 42 is configured to contact the cue ball as the rod 14 is forcibly extended from the tube 12.

In use, the rod 14 is pushed into the tube 12 so that a desired tension of the spring 22 is obtained when the terminal section 28 of the trigger 26 is positioned in a respective cutout. The user then grasps the tube 12 such that a digit of the hand grasping the tube 12 positioned proximate to the trigger. After aligning the tube 12 and rod 14 with the cue ball for a shot, the trigger 26 is depressed causing the terminal section 28 to withdraw from the respective cutout 32 wherein the spring 22 forcibly extends the rod 14 from the tube 12 to strike the cue ball.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A mechanical cue stick device comprising: a tube having a first end and a second end, the first end being closed and the second end being open; a rod slidably coupled to the tube and selectively extensible from the second end of the tube; an actuator coupled to and positioned within the tube proximate to the first end, the actuator being operationally coupled to the rod such that the actuator is positioned for forcibly extending the rod from the tube, the actuator comprising a spring, the spring being coil type such that the spring is tensioned as the rod is inserted into the tube positioning the spring for rebounding for forcibly extending the rod from the tube; a switch operationally coupled to the actuator, the switch being coupled to the tube such that the switch is positioned proximate to a digit of a hand grasping the tube wherein the switch is configured for switching for actuating the actuator for forcibly extending the rod from the tube for striking a cue ball, the switch comprising a trigger pivotally coupled to the tube, the trigger being spring loaded such that the trigger is biased to a default position wherein a terminal section of the trigger extends into the tube through a hole positioned in the tube, the trigger having a first section extending from a pivot point of the trigger and a second section extending from the pivot point of the trigger in an opposite direction from the first section, the first section being L-shaped, the section section having a curved outwardly facing surface, the outwardly facing surface being curved such that the outwardly facing surface extends away from the tube as the outwardly facing surface extends away from the pivot point of the trigger; and a set of cutouts extending into the rod proximate to a first terminus of the rod such that each cutout is selectively alignable with the hole positioning the cutout and the hole for inserting the terminal section of the trigger such that the rod is selectively fixedly positionable within the tube with the spring having an associated tension wherein the trigger is configured for triggering by the digit of the hand grasping the tube for extracting the terminal section from the cutout such that the rod is forcibly extended from the tube.
 2. The device of claim 1, further including the first end being circumferentially larger than the second end such that the tube is tapered.
 3. The device of claim 1, further including a bumper coupled to the first end of the tube wherein the bumper is configured for protecting the tube from impact damage.
 4. The device of claim 3, further including the bumper comprising at least one of rubber and leather.
 5. The device of claim 1, further including the rod and the tube comprising at least one of wood, metal, and plastic.
 6. (canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. The device of claim 1, further including the set of cutouts comprising from one to ten cutouts.
 9. The device of claim 1, further including the set of cutouts comprising three cutouts.
 10. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a flare coupled to and extending radially from a first terminus of the rod such that the flare is slidable along an inner surface of the tube; and a lip coupled to the second end of the tube, the lip extending inwardly such that the rod is slidable across the lip and such that the flare and the lip prevent contact of the rod with the inner surface of the tube.
 11. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a ferrule coupled to a second terminus of the rod wherein the ferrule is configured for bearing an impact from the rod contacting the cue ball; and a tip coupled to the ferrule wherein the tip is configured for contacting the cue ball as the rod is forcibly extended from the tube.
 12. A mechanical cue stick device comprising: a tube having a first end and a second end, the first end being closed and the second end being open, the first end being circumferentially larger than the second end such that the tube is tapered; a bumper coupled to the first end of the tube wherein the bumper is configured for protecting the tube from impact damage, the bumper comprising at least one of rubber and leather; a rod slidably coupled to the tube and selectively extensible from the second end of the tube, the rod and the tube comprising at least one of wood, metal, and plastic; an actuator coupled to and positioned within the tube proximate to the first end, the actuator being operationally coupled to the rod such that the actuator is positioned for forcibly extending the rod from the tube, the actuator comprising a spring, the spring being coil type such that the spring is tensioned as the rod is inserted into the tube positioning the spring for rebounding for forcibly extending the rod from the tube; a switch operationally coupled to the actuator, the switch being coupled to the tube such that the switch is positioned proximate to a digit of a hand grasping the tube wherein the switch is configured for switching for actuating the actuator for forcibly extending the rod from the tube for striking a cue ball, the switch comprising a trigger pivotally coupled to the tube, the trigger being spring loaded such that the trigger is biased to a default position wherein a terminal section of the trigger extends into the tube through a hole positioned in the tube, the trigger having a first section extending from a pivot point of the trigger and a second section extending from the pivot point of the trigger in an opposite direction from the first section, the first section being L-shaped, the section section having a curved outwardly facing surface, the outwardly facing surface being curved such that the outwardly facing surface extends away from the tube as the outwardly facing surface extends away from the pivot point of the trigger; a set of cutouts extending into the rod proximate to a first terminus of the rod such that each cutout is selectively alignable with the hole positioning the cutout and the hole for inserting the terminal section of the trigger such that the rod is selectively fixedly positionable within the tube with the spring having an associated tension wherein the trigger is configured for triggering by the digit of the hand grasping the tube for extracting the terminal section from the cutout such that the rod is forcibly extended from the tube, the set of cutouts comprising from one to ten cutouts, the three cutouts; a flare coupled to and extending radially from the first terminus of the rod such that the flare is slidable along an inner surface of the tube; a lip coupled to the second end of the tube, the lip extending inwardly such that the rod is slidable across the lip and such that the flare and the lip prevent contact of the rod with the inner surface of the tube; a ferrule coupled to a second terminus of the rod wherein the ferrule is configured for bearing an impact from the rod contacting the cue ball; and a tip coupled to the ferrule wherein the tip is configured for contacting the cue ball as the rod is forcibly extended from the tube. 